a cooked parkin cake in a pleated case sitting on a wire cooling tray

Traditional Oatmeal Parkin

1 hour 30 minutes

See questions Lindsey has answered on this recipe at the end of the method

This recipe is from Delia's Cakes.

But which tradition is it?

My grandparents claimed Yorkshire emphatically, while my Lancashire friends are just as emphatic. Either way I just love it, and because it’s so easy to make, if you haven’t yet tasted parkin I urge you to try it. Its virtue is it keeps well and goes on getting stickier. We use a pleated silicone liner in the tin, which helps keep the moisture in during storage.

The Delia Online Cookery School: click the recipe image to watch how to make Traditional Oatmeal Parkin

Got a question on Delia's recipes? Ask Lindsey

Ask a Question

Oatmeal in parkin

Asked by: Liwi1

For the traditional parkin recipe , can I substitute porridge oats instead of the medium oatmeal, thanks Derek

Answered by Lindsey: Hello Derek, If it is a fairly fine variety, yes. If not, you could chop it up a bit in a food processor. Kind regards Lindsey

Delia's Oatmeal Parkin

Asked by: Barbarab

In 2011 I printed Delia's Traditional Oatmeal Parkin recipe and have used it every since, so it's become quite tatty so I thought I would print a fresher copy. I note that 2 of the ingredients have increased my recipe says 200g dark or golden syrup and 25g of black treacle plus 1 teaspoon. The new printout gives 225g golden syrup and 25g black treacle, all the other ingredients are the same. I was wondering why those 2 ingredients had increased. Many thanks Barbara Bennett, Preston

Answered by Lindsey: Hello Barbara, All of the cakes in the original Book of Cakes were tested, tasted and re-tested for Delia’s new Cakes book. We all like the updated version in the new book so hopefully you will too. Kind regards Lindsey

Parkin in the Aga

Asked by: Neilington

Hi Lindsey, I am desperate to try Delia’s traditional oatmeal Parkin recipe. Which oven and shelf position would be best in a 3 oven Aga? My baking oven runs at around 180 degrees C. Could it be baked in my simmering oven for longer as I bake my fruit cakes? Hope you can help.

Answered by Lindsey: Hello, I assume your simmering oven runs about 130 degrees?? In which case, yes, I would go slower for longer. I think for 1 hour 45 to 2 hours. Best wishes Lindsey

Method

To weigh syrup and treacle, it helps to place the opened tins in a pan of barely simmering water for 5 minutes to make them easier to pour.

Then weigh a saucepan on the scales, and weigh the syrup and treacle into it. Now add the butter and the sugar to the saucepan and place it over a gentle heat until the butter has melted – don’t go away and leave it unattended, because for this you don’t want it to boil.

Meanwhile measure the oatmeal, flour and ginger into a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt, then gradually stir in the warmed syrup mixture till everything is thoroughly blended. Next add the beaten egg and, lastly, the milk. Now pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake near the centre shelf of the oven for 1½ hours.

Then cool the parkin in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out. Don’t worry if it sinks slightly in the middle – this is quite normal.

When it’s completely cold, store in an airtight tin.